‘We just want justice for Marissa’: 8-year-old Sunland girl’s accused killers will stay jailed until trial

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- A Las Cruces judge denied a prosecutor's request to delay a trial after a suspected arson case in Sunland Park which claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl.

"I hope God helps us and give us justice for Marissa," said Rita Perez, her aunt.

In December 2018, the trailer home went up in flames overnight, killing Marissa Muñoz, a third grader at Desert View Elementary.

"My daughter went to sleep that night thinking she was going to go to school and thinking she was going to go with us on the weekend and didn't wake up that morning," said Evelyn Escobar, her step-mother.

Jocelyn Ontiveros and Juan Carlos Holguin were arrested in connection with arson.

Prosecutors insisted they are missing two key witnesses: A fire investigator who is in the hospital and an investigator with the Office of the Medical Examiner who is out-of-state. On Tuesday afternoon, Judge Doug Driggers denied their request to delay the trial.

According to a spokeswoman for the Third Judicial District Attorney's Office, Ontiveros and Holguin will remain behind bars until the trial in April.

 "All of our family is in pain," said Escobar.